The name "Palestine" is the cognate o an ancient wird meanin "Philistines" or "Land o the Philistines".[2][3][4] In keepin wi the Greek cultur o the day, it haes an aa been suggestit that it mey an aa be a play on the wird Παλαιστής Palaistes (Greek for wrestler) an a reference tae Jacob, later cawed Israel, the foonder o the ancient Israeli naition.[5]

The earliest kent mention is thought tae be in Ancient Egyptian texts o the temple at Medinet Habu which record a fowk cawed the P-r-s-t (conventionally Peleset) amang the Sea Peoples who invadit Egypt in Ramesses III's reign.[6] The Ebreu name Peleshet (פלשתPəléshseth)- uisually translatit as Philistia in Inglis, is uised in the Bible tae denote the soothren coastal region that wis inhabitit bi the Philistines tae the wast o the ancient Kinrick o Judah.[7]